Michael Conlan should have won yesterday's fight against Russian Vladimir Nikitin in Rio, according to statistics revealed by a respected American website boxing website Comubox.

According to their data, Conlan threw more punches than the Russian – 365 as opposed to 257. He landed 89 (24.4%) of these in comparison to Nikitin's 75 (29.25).

According to Comubox the Belfast boxer also threw and landed the greatest number of power punches – 82 compared to 71. But it's what happens in each round which determines the outcome of boxing matches.

Interestingly, the statistics do back up the judge's decision to award the first round to Nikitin as he landed 26 to the 72 punches he threw in comparison to 18 of Conlan's 114.

But because Conlan's fought mostly off the back foot in that round most of the punches he threw were jabs which are hard to count – he still threw 21 jabs compared to two for the Russian.

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Once he discovered he was behind, Conlan was forced to be more aggressive and he won the second round on all three judges' card and this is reflected in the stats. He landed 39 of the 99 punches he threw compared to Nikitin's 26 of 88.

But crucially the computer backs up the theory that Conlan should have been awarded the last round which would have given him the win and a place in the semi-final. He landed 31 of his 126 compared to the Russian's 21 of 87.

The site suggests that the judges opted for the Russian because he drew the Irishman into a brawl but based on punches thrown and landed the Irishman should have prevailed.